Most of our beautiful aloes and succulents
fall in a grey category. One of my prize
specimens was a gift from a very dear
friend who simply lopped off a branch
from her Cyphostemma juttae and gave
the mother plant to me. She stil boasts a
Wild grape of her own, proudly displayed
in a huge pot. These plants are easily
grown from cuttings planted in a mix of
compost and sand with some added bone
meal. Take care of over watering especially
e
during winter! This deciduous plant with its
at
pale grey papery bark and huge swollen
jut
trunk makes a striking accent. During
am
summer the clusters of red berries will
me
attract birds to your garden.
Cyphost
The much loved Echiveria,a genus of succulents, is being
used with great success in both mass plantings or as single
specimens in containers. These succulents grow in
attractive rosettes and are available in a large variety of
shapes and tones of grey, tinted with exquisite tones of
purples and pinks.
Another genus with very striking architectural beauties is
the Agave. Agave attenuata is a wise choice for garden
use as it does not have the characteristic sharp teeth along
the blades. This is one grey accent plant I have successfully
grown in dappled shade.
The list of grey succulents goes on and on and is worth
experimentation. Try Kalanchoe luciae with its large lobed
leaves and contrasting burgundy edge. For grey accent
plants that will also add splashes of warm colour to a
winter landscape the many different aloes can be
explored. The multi-stemmed Aloe aborescens can serve
as a screening plant or an impenetrable hedge. This
en
attractive aloe can easily be cultivated by planting a 40-
i
80cm branch in the ground. One of South Africa's most
zant
striking Aloes in certainly the beautiful single stemmed
Aloe marlothii . The thick grey leaves are studded with
by
dark thorns, reminding of medieval armour. This textured
chys
plant with its showy flower heads will provide an excellent
aSt
focal point.

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